Letters: Climate rule revocation coincides with woeful parks nominee

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After climate revocation, reject Trump’s parks pick

Re: “Trump revokes climate finding” (Page A1, Feb. 13).

As the Trump administration was overturning the Endangerment Finding that enables the government to regulate greenhouse gas emissions to protect health and the environment, the president nominated Scott Socha to lead the National Park Service. The only interest he has in our parks is the money he can make from them.

Case in point is how Socha, as an executive for the hospitality company Delaware North, sued the NPS for $51 million for the naming rights to Yosemite National Park, Ahwahnee, Wawona, etc., claiming they were the company’s intellectual property. Twenty-two years as concessionaire entitles them to own and profit from the names? How absurd and disrespectful.

The leader of the NPS should be someone who has experience and a strong belief in protecting the environment while making the parks accessible to all people. I encourage all to push our senators to reject this nominee.

Tom Calderwood
Los Gatos

Climate rule change cedes sector to China

Re: “Trump revokes climate finding” (Page A1, Feb. 13).

The first words in the article are, “The Trump administration on Thursday revoked a scientific finding.” News flash: That’s not how science works. The physics and chemistry of climate change caused by the burning of fossil fuels are not altered by politicians uttering nonsense. If Donald Trump issued an executive order revoking gravity, he’d still be well-advised not to walk off a cliff.

The relentless dismantling of America’s leadership in solving climate change really baffles me. The results to date have been a tremendous number of jobs lost, mostly in red congressional districts. Clean energy production is the growth industry of our time. America was experiencing one of the biggest manufacturing booms since World War II. I thought Republicans were in favor of jobs and economic growth. Instead, we’re ceding it all to China. I am baffled.

Karl Danz
Los Altos

Trump turning back clock to smoggy 60s

Re: “Trump revokes climate finding” (Page A1, Feb. 13).

I grew up in San Jose, graduated from Abraham Lincoln High School in 1960. My last class for the day featured an east-facing view toward the foothills across the valley. My classmates and I became concerned about the inability to see the eastern foothills a mere 5 miles away.

Now living in Cupertino, I am able to see across the valley to the east foothills some 15 miles away. Due to recent decisions by the Trump administration, will we return to 1960?

Tim O’Reilly
Cupertino

Article offers light in dark times

Re: “He falls in love again every time she visits” (Page A1, Feb. 13).

Thank you for the article.

After having to face one bad news theme after another, I found it a heartwarming relief to read about the gentleman with Alzheimer’s who has proposed again and again to his wife, who accepted and organized the recent wedding event, and the senior community who embraced them. Such love and compassion.

Marsha Chan
Sunnyvale

Trump lacks traits of our greatest presidents

Re: “Trump squandering his best political asset” (Page A7, Feb. 17).

Donald Trump fan-boy David M. Drucker’s short list of leadership traits leaves out essential leadership traits of great presidents identified by Pulitzer Prize–winning presidential historian Doris Kearns Goodwin:

1. Sense of moral purpose: Heal divisions and bring the country together to summon citizens to a common purpose.

2. Empathy: Understand and support the needs of most citizens.

3. Resilience: Great leaders learn from difficult moments.

4. Openness: Listen receptively to views different than their own.

5. Impulse control: Know what not to say.

6. Communication: Great leaders promote their vision for the country’s direction by inspiring and connecting with most citizens.

7. Relaxation: America’s most iconic presidents knew that getting away from the White House helps them come up with innovative solutions to difficult problems.

Unfortunately, Trump utterly fails the first five traits, communicates only dystopian visions, and innovates no solutions when relaxing with golf (except how to cheat at it).

Dave Whitaker
San Jose